By Stuart Watson

0

07-May-2013 03:45:00

After conceding six goals against Liverpool, the Magpies' backup shot-stopper was delighted to prevent Saturday's opponents West Ham from finding the back of the net

Newcastle United's backup goalkeeper Rob Elliot has praised his side for recording a rare clean sheet against West Ham at the weekend, and believes it will give the relegation-threatened side a huge lift.

The 27-year-old, who is deputising for the injured Tim Krul, pulled off a string of impressive saves to deny the Hammers, though the Magpies remain perilously close to the drop zone.

Newcastle's poor form this season has largely been down to their porous defence, with only Reading having conceded more goals, but Elliot was delighted to keep a much-needed clean sheet against West Ham.

"You've got to look at it as a point gained, definitely, to go to West Ham, with the way they have been playing this season - particularly at home - and get a point and a clean sheet is great for us," Elliot told the club's official website.

"I think we were the better footballing team overall, and we stood up to the challenge of playing a big, strong team who put the ball in the box. We dealt with their threat exceptionally well. Keeping a clean sheet was massive.

"When you concede as many goals as we have recently people chuck insults around like they are nothing, but if you are the one they are aimed at then it does hurt.

"So to get a point was great and for me, personally, my first Premier League clean sheet on the back of that Liverpool performance - conceding six - was a huge confidence boost."

Newcastle sit just three points ahead of Wigan who are in 18th position and have a game in hand on the other teams around them, but Elliot believes the players have the strength of character to escape the drop.

"It is easy to throw the towel in but we have shown character, we turned around and said 'no - we are going to roll our sleeves up and get on with it'," he continued.

"After that performance I know we are going to show 100 per cent commitment between now and the end of the season, and with the quality we have in the squad that can only be a good thing."